101 Ways to Cook with Ginger

Knobby and sometimes intimidating looking, fresh ginger is a great way to add fresh flavor to a variety of meals and recipes. Once peeled and grated, ginger can easily be thrown into various sauces, glazes, and marinades to brighten up the dish. Traditionally included in Asian recipes like noodle bowls or stir-fry, it can also be added for a fun twist on recipes like Lemony Chicken with Root Vegetables or Zesty Heirloom Gazpacho. Don't forget to bake up a batch of Fresh Gingerbread Squares for dessert.

Knobby and sometimes intimidating looking, fresh ginger is a great way to add fresh flavor to a variety of meals and recipes. Once peeled and grated, ginger can easily be thrown into various sauces, glazes, and marinades to brighten up the dish. Traditionally included in Asian recipes like noodle bowls or stir-fry, it can also be added for a fun twist on recipes like Lemony Chicken with Root Vegetables or Zesty Heirloom Gazpacho. Don't forget to bake up a batch of Fresh Gingerbread Squares for dessert.

101 Ways to Cook with Ginger

Umami Broth with Buckwheat and Vegetables

The richness of the broth comes from what’s basically an Asian version of soffrito, the Italian “starter paste” that flavors so many delicious soups and sauces. Whereas the Italian version is a mixture of sautéed celery, onions, garlic, bell peppers, and sometimes tomato paste, this version uses miso, onion, ginger, and garlic sautéed in toasty sesame oil until browned and caramelized. We opt for red miso here, the saltiest and most pungent kind. If you only have white miso on hand, it will work, too; you just might want to add a splash of soy sauce to deepen the flavor.

Quick Chicken Pho

"The fragrant noodle soup we love to slurp on cool evenings is actually the breakfast of champions," says cookbook author Andrea Nguyen. "It's a fabulous wake-up call that energizes and satisfies. Toasting spices and searing ginger help extract flavor fast, while poaching the chicken in the stock adds savory depth," Nguyen says. This broth is a lower-sodium adaptation of Nguyen's recipe.

Golden Milk Tea

Miso-Ginger Braised Chicken with Bok Choy and Barley

Serve this one-pot complete meal in shallow bowls, ladling the rich broth over the tender chicken, vegetables, and grains. We call for whole-grain hulled—sometimes labeled hull-less—barley here. Pearled barley is not ideal for this dish; while tasty, it is not a whole grain, and it would overcook as the chicken simmers. If you can’t find hulled barley, you can use wheat berries, spelt, whole-grain (not pearled) farro, or rye berries. Toasting the grains first delivers deep, malty flavor; it’s worth the extra few minutes to get that extra depth.

Tea with Ginger-Citrus Ice Cubes

Infuse a warm cup of Earl Grey with the flavors of lemon and ginger with these innovative ice cubes. Frozen together, along with throat soothing honey, the ice cubes bring a world of flavor and take a normal cup of tea from basic to impressive.

Slow Cooker Chicken Congee

Congee is a homey, simple rice porridge, a classic comfort food in China. Cooking just a little bit of rice in a lot of water allows all the starch to escape and become creamy, much like a risotto. The slow cooker does all the work here, breaking down the rice with fragrant ginger and star anise and poaching the chicken until silky. A bit of chili oil is the vibrant kick this dish needs. You can also use Sriracha or a squeeze of fresh lime juice. Cilantro or baby spinach leaves can work in place of the watercress.

Quick Ginger Spritzer

Caldo de Gallina (Peruvian Hen Soup)

A corner of Cusco's San Pedro Market is devoted to open kitchens where Quechua women make this soup with new crop potatoes and tough old stewing hens, which can stand up to the long simmering time better than young chickens. We find that widely available roasting hens—older than broilers and fryers—work just fine, growing tender and succulent after hours of stewing. The lime-herb-chile garnish makes the dish sing with flavor.

Miso Noodle Soup with Meatballs

Salty, savory miso becomes the backbone of this soup; try adding it to dressings and marinades too. We add chile-and-honey-spiked pork meatballs to the soup; you could also use shredded rotisserie chicken breast or cubed tofu. Want to get ahead on tomorrow's dinner? Double the meatball mixture, shape half into patties, and sear for Asian-style sliders.Serve with Baby Bok Choy and Cucumber Salad.

Apple-Ginger Kombucha

The apple-ginger combo of this fizzy kombucha is an exciting variation of the tea drink. Kombucha already has a faint apple flavor, so the additional apple juice enhances that existing apple cider flavor. Ginger gives the kombucha a warm, zingy kick.

Fresh Gingerbread Squares

Teff flour is a soft, almost-fluffy whole-grain flour with an intense nuttiness that makes it excellent for baking. But the beauty of fresh gingerbread is finding the perfect texture—delicate yet dense—so we add a bit of hearty whole-wheat flour to give this treat a heftier, more winter-worthy base. Stout beers adds a pleasantly earthy bitterness that complements the molasses, fresh ginger, and cinnamon; any frothy leftovers will pair nicely with a still-warm baked square. If you don't have any stout on hand, simply use 1/4 cup additional buttermilk instead.

Mongolian Beef and Vegetables and Sesame Soba Noodles

This takeout favorite is typically laden with beef and coated with a sticky-sweet sauce. Our makeover makes crisp-tender snow peas, broccoli, and carrots the star, with seared flank steak as the supporting player. We also balanced the blend of brown sugar, soy sauce, and sesame oil in the sauce. We’ve kept our version family friendly by omitting the heat, but you can add a sliced red chile or a healthy pinch of crushed red pepper if you like. You can also change up the vegetables: Try snap peas, mushrooms, red bell pepper, or cauliflower florets. Sesame Soba Noodles are made of buckwheat flour and have a toasty, nutty flavor. You can sub whole-wheat linguine if you can't find them.

Can't Be Beet Tart with Goat Cheese

This is the dessert you cook when you want to make a big impression. Everything about it, from the ginger kick in the crust to the sweet earthiness of the beets in the filling to the rich goat cheese in the topping, comes together in beautiful harmony. Be sure to use an 11-inch tart pan to accommodate the filling; a 10-inch pie plate will work in a pinch. Look for buttermilk powder on the baking or with the powdered milk.

Sautéed Snapper with Curried Greens

The greens become wonderfully silky and aromatic once stirred into a fragrant of broth of coconut milk, curry powder, garlic, and fresh ginger. Since the greens are already cooked, they only need to be warmed through in the sauce. If you haven't made a batch of greens, stir in fresh spinach until wilted. Top with any mild, firm white fish, chicken, or shrimp. Chicken or shrimp would also be fine substitutes. Serve each bowl with a lime wedge; a squeeze brings the whole dish together.

Ginger-Honey Glazed Pork Tenderloin

Sherry vinegar has more depth and less tang and sharpness than other vinegars. It rounds out the sweet honey and pungent ginger. Since the thin glaze would burn on the grill if added too early, grill the pork most of the way through, then brush with the glaze and turn continuously for the final 6 minutes or until done. A fresh, crisp salad is a welcome change of pace from the usual fall side of roasted vegetables or mashed potatoes. We love the look of watermelon radishes in this fresh, crisp salad, but any radish will work. You can also round out this meal with Chili-Spiced Potatoes for a comforting side. If you don't have sherry vinegar, sub red wine vinegar or cider vinegar.

Chinese-American Thanksgiving Meatballs

This recipe is based on a classic Chinese dumpling filling, made instead into meatballs and poached in a gingery tomato sauce. The technique of mixing the meat until just tacky gives it that characteristic pot-sticker-filling bounciness. The tender, saucy meatballs pair wonderfully with white or brown rice.

Butternut and Ginger Congee

This is comfort food. It's warm and creamy, even though there's no cream in it. Vietnamese like variation in their food—not just one flavor or texture. The crispy ginger slices and fresh herbs add just the right amount of zap to the dish. Shredded butternut squash will melt beautifully into the congee; use a box grater or the shredding disc of a food processor.

Sweet Potato Noodles with Shrimp and Thai-Style Almond Sauce

Smarter carbs are easy with the handy spiralizer—it works like a pencil sharpener to create long strands of veggies. Find the tool at kitchen stores and amazon.com. Spiralized veggies are showing up everywhere—in salads, in place of pasta, and even in desserts. These sweet potato "zoodles" transform a traditional pad thai recipe into a fun twist on a weeknight favorite. The best news? This recipe comes together in 20 minutes, making it a go-to for any busy weeknight. Break out your spiralizer, get the family involved, and get cooking on your new favorite recipe featuring the best of fall flavor.

Lemony Chicken with Root Vegetables

Adams salts her chicken the night before. To keep sodium levels low, we don't use additional salt, as enough is provided by the preserved lemon. You can also use these bright, tart, briny lemons to season stews, braises, dressings, and sauces. High heat gives the chicken tasty char, and flipping the bird over partway through cooking helps the breast self-baste while the underside browns. Like other flavor-packed ingredients, a little goes a long way. If you don't have Aleppo pepper (a classic Mediterranean seasoning), sub 1/8 teaspoon each of paprika and ground red pepper. While the chicken chills overnight, uncovered, the skin dries, which helps it brown and crisp better.

Sticky Asian Chicken Wings

Because the wings get a good bit of char, the type of honey you use isn't as important here (it'll lose its subtler nuances). Though we remove the skin from the wings, you'd never know it—they pick up an irresistible crispy crunch as the glaze cooks under the broiler. Give yourself a better grip when skinning each wing by holding it with a paper towel in one hand and pulling the skin with another paper towel in the other hand.

Spicy Buttermilk Chicken and Vegetable Kebabs

Making your own spice blend is worth it. For starters, salt is the main ingredient in jarred spice blends. Making your own lets you control the sodium and use fresh ingredients. You can make the kebabs and buttermilk mixture a day ahead and refrigerate until you're ready to cook.

Slow Cooker Ramen Bowls

Any ramen lover will tell you—it's all about the broth. We build layers of rich umami flavor with the help of mushroom stems, fresh ginger, kombu (a type of edible kelp), sesame oil, and, of course, low and slow heat.

Teriyaki Chicken Drumsticks with Tropical Fruit Salad

You'll find everything but the tiki torch in this updated retro classic. Give the drumsticks a head start on a hot grill pan; then lower the heat so the glaze won't burn. Go meatless by swapping 3/4-inch-thick slices of extra-firm tofu for drumsticks. Glaze and grill 3 minutes on each side.

Seared Tofu with Sweet Chili Sauce and Broccoli

Halve the tofu lengthwise for more surface area so the water can drain out quickly; then pat dry so it won't spatter in the pan. Sweet chili sauce has less heat than Sriracha. A bit of sugar balances its vinegar punch. Find it in the international aisle.

Coconut-Lemongrass Chicken Bowls

Marinated chicken simmered in an aromatic coconut broth = flavor building at its finest. This Southeast Asian-inspire bowl is all about big flavor with minimal effort. When working with lemongrass, give the stalk a couple of whacks with the back of a knife before chopping to release its flavorful oils.

Summer Melon with Lime and Rum

This is a lovely dessert, the rum adding a nice French touch (because the French were colonialists in sugar cane countries, they have a huge penchant for rum). Here, along with ginger, it adds rich depth. To ease prep, purchase precut melons in the produce section; some stores offer a mix of melons in a single pack.

Honey-Ginger Glazed Salmon

The sweet-sticky glaze makes this salmon dinner a winner with the kids. The honey-ginger glazes packs a ton of flavor without a long list of ingredients or extra time in the kitchen. With such little preparation, these salmon filets are the perfect weeknight meal that you can easily add into your cooking rotation. Complete the meal with a side of roasted or steamed carrots and a hearty spoonful of brown rice for a well-balanced meal.

Caramelized Brussels Sprouts with Green Onions and Cilantro

"Brussels sprouts are best when caramelized," says Gavin Kaysen of Spoon and Stable. "Tossing the roasted vegetables with rich, salty fish sauce enhances the sweet notes created by the cooking process.

Grilled Chicken Skewers With Asian Pear Slaw

Marjorie Meek-Bradley of Ripple relies on fish sauce to bring a new dimension to marinades and vinaigrettes. She finds that this salty pantry staple is especially appealing in crisp salads. "Fish sauce creates this exotic Thai flavor without being overpowering," she says.

Orange-Teriyaki Pork Tenderloin

Homemade teriyaki sauce is much fresher and more vibrant than bottled sauce and makes for a delicious sweet-salty glaze on lean pork tenderloin. Mirin lends this sauce a rich flavor; it’s a sweet rice cooking wine that you'll find near the rice vinegar on the Asian foods aisle. If you can't find it, you can substitute sweet Riesling, dry or cream sherry, or sweet marsala wine. It would be a shame to let any of that luscious sauce go to waste; serve over a bed of brown rice to soak it all up.

Cardamom-Glazed Carrots

Turn up the volume on classic glazed carrots with exotic cardamom and fragrant fresh ginger. If you can find multicolored carrots, use them for a lovely presentation, as we did in the photo. The parchment paper lid slows moisture loss just enough to form a beautiful glaze.

Chicken-Watercress Wonton Soup

Flecked with peppery watercress, these soft chicken dumplings make for a slurpy-good appetizer soup. Be sure to use regular ground chicken (not chicken breast) for the best flavor and texture. For this recipe, you'll be making the nurse's cap dumpling shape. The sauce, all the fillings, and the broth for this soup can be made a day or two ahead of the party. If making dumplings just for you and your family, you can double up and freeze a batch of uncooked dumplings. No need to thaw before cooking—just add an extra minute or two to the cook time.

Pea Shoot Salad

Pea shoots offer the crunch of a salad green with the springy sweetness of green peas. They take wonderfully to Asian seasonings like soy sauce, rice vinegar, and ginger. Grating garlic accentuates its pungency.

Mu Shu Pork Wraps

Chinese restaurants serve mu shu pork with Mandarin pancakes. On a busy weeknight, whole-wheat tortillas are an easy sub. Look for trimmed boneless pork shoulder. If all you see are large cuts, ask your butcher to cut off a 1-pound portion.

Pork and Chive Dumplings With Red Chile Oil

The pleating of these dumplings is a bit more advanced; if guests have trouble, they can make half-moons and skip the pleating. Make the chile oil up to 5 days ahead; store in the fridge, but bring to room temperature before serving.

Shrimp and Snap Pea Shumai

Shumai (pronounced "shoe-my") are pretty open-faced, purse-shaped dumplings. Though there are no seams to seal and the shape is generally free-form, it does take a little finesse. If you can't find round gyoza skins, cut square wonton wrappers into 3- or 3 1/2-inch circles with a biscuit cutter.

Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala

We love the heat level in this slow cooker take on tikka masala to fend off winter chill. If the spice kick is too much for your family, you can cut the red pepper down by half without losing any of the dynamic flavor layers.

Thai Basil-Ginger Spritzer

Paired with peppery ginger, the anise flavor of Thai basil gives you a highly refreshing summer sipper. Look for kaffir lime leaves at Asian markets. If kaffir leaves are unavailable, simply omit. This recipe will also work nicely with fresh mint or cilantro sprigs instead of Thai basil.

Chicken, Apple, and Butternut Stew

Cider, chopped apple, butternut squash, and parsnips lend appealingly forward sweetness to this fall harvest stew. Unfiltered apple cider has pectins that help thicken the stew. If you use filtered, clear cider, add another tablespoon of flour.

Egg Noodle Stir-Fry with Broccoli

The red chiles add vibrant color and deep, fruity heat. If you can't find them, substitute ¼ cup thinly sliced Fresno peppers (which are much milder). Look for very young ginger; it will have thinner skin and a less fibrous interior.

Honey-Ginger Chicken Bites

Ditch the greasy fried chicken fingers in favor of these sweet glazed chicken bites. They're the perfect size for popping into your mouth or serving on skewers. This dish is prepared with boneless, skinless chicken thighs but feel free to use chicken breasts if you have them on hand.

Crisp Autumn Serenade

This cocktail brings together the seasonal flavors of apples, pears, ginger, and maple. Bourbon gives it a bit of bite and backbone. (For a sweeter, richer version, you could use a dark rum, like Plantation Grande Reserve or El Dorado 5-year.) You'll make more of the tangy ginger-maple syrup than you need for the recipe; save the remaining syrup for other cocktails or to sweeten and spice up tea or mulled wine.

Tofu Saag

"Restaurant chefs these days put cream and other goop in saag. For Indians of my generation, that's unacceptable: The smooth spinach puree is where the creaminess comes from on your palate," Saran says.

Saran's eye-opening technique here is to pat the tofu dry very briefly, rather than for 20 or 30 minutes. This keeps it moist and creamy inside, and the outside still gets browned. Look for ghee–clarified, toasted butter–at Indian or Asian markets.

Almond Butter Chicken Satay

Restaurant chicken satay just can't compete with our lighter and more flavorful version. Light coconut milk, lime juice, brown sugar, fish sauce, fresh ginger, and curry powder combine for a potent and highly flavorful marinade for the chicken pieces. The real magic is with the almond butter dipping sauce though. It's luxuriously creamy with a kick of garlicky heat from the Sriracha. Munch on cucumber slices to cool of your palate between dips in the sauce. To speed up prep time, add the chicken to the marinade and make the dipping sauce before you leave for work in the morning. You'll only need to skewer the chicken and grill when you get home.

Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Sriracha BBQ Sauce

Spicy Ethiopian Red Lentil Stew

First up is a spicy, Ethiopian-inspired red lentil stew. Berbere, Ethiopia's signature spice blend, includes garlic, ginger, coriander, femigreek, and allspice in addition to a big pinch of ground chiles. Look for it at well-stocked supermarkets. For a change of pace, skip the rice and serve with our Teff Injera Flatbread.

Jerk Chicken with Grilled Pineapple Salsa

Get boldly flavored meat in a fraction of the time it takes traditional recipes by skipping the daylong marinade. This dish lends huge flavor to the chicken in just an hour. Grilled fruit salsa is the ideal cool complement.

Chicken Drumsticks with Singapore Sauce

Spicy and tart thanks to the addition of Sriracha and lime, our goes-with-anything Singapore Sauce delivers bold flavor. Throw the simple sauce together when you want to add some heat to this tasty street food.

Wilted Kale with Coconut, Ginger, and Lime

Grilled Ginger-Glazed Chicken Livers with Spicy Plum Sauce

This is a fantastic appetizer, a delicious departure from the usual featuring rich chicken livers paired with a Southeast Asian--inspired sauce. Any leftover sauce will keep in the refrigerator up to two weeks.

Black Bean Cakes with Ginger-Cilantro Cream

The black bean mixture is delicate. Turn cakes gently, as they may fall apart. If they do, don't worry—you can press them back together. Serve with a simple salad of lettuce, sliced cucumbers and radishes, and carrot ribbons.